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Topic: AVL 2007 Electra 500 cc oil level (Read 1468 times)

If you have had long-term, specific experience on the AVL 500cc engine, I would appreciate your advice. I've read Forum entries for one hour.I've changed oil only 3 times and continue to have a problem with LOTS of oil BLOWING out of oil catch can.Last time, I :

1) ran engine for one minute(to fill engine sump?, to warm oil to enhance draining? or, to attain the "true" volume of the oil?)2) drained oil(did NOT change filter/oil in oil pump!--my choice!)3) filled new oil4) checked dipstick level, WITHOUT screwing dipstick down5) it read "Full"6) ran engine again for 1 minute7) checked dipstick level--(WITHOUT) it read " one half" on the H/L dipstick marking9) filled it to "Full"10) took 60 mile ride(97 degrees Fahrenheit) and LOTS of oil blew out of catch can.

QUESTIONS:1) In reality, WHY does the engine need to be run for 5 minutes("the manual says")2) what is your foolproof, experienced system for changing/refilling oil(personally, my aging knees and back tell me to SHORTEN the total time required!)3) Without my disassembling the engine, what are the SIGNIFICANT unique construction details Of the AVL engine that seem to require such Bugaboo written on the Forum re oil changing?4) I don't need "quantities of oil" just dipstick readings.Bob

If you have had long-term, specific experience on the AVL 500cc engine, I would appreciate your advice. I've read Forum entries for one hour.I've changed oil only 3 times and continue to have a problem with LOTS of oil BLOWING out of oil catch can.Last time, I :

1) ran engine for one minute(to fill engine sump?, to warm oil to enhance draining? or, to attain the "true" volume of the oil?)2) drained oil(did NOT change filter/oil in oil pump!--my choice!)3) filled new oil4) checked dipstick level, WITHOUT screwing dipstick down5) it read "Full"6) ran engine again for 1 minute7) checked dipstick level--(WITHOUT) it read " one half" on the H/L dipstick marking9) filled it to "Full"10) took 60 mile ride(97 degrees Fahrenheit) and LOTS of oil blew out of catch can.

QUESTIONS:1) In reality, WHY does the engine need to be run for 5 minutes("the manual says")2) what is your foolproof, experienced system for changing/refilling oil(personally, my aging knees and back tell me to SHORTEN the total time required!)3) Without my disassembling the engine, what are the SIGNIFICANT unique construction details Of the AVL engine that seem to require such Bugaboo written on the Forum re oil changing?4) I don't need "quantities of oil" just dipstick readings.Bob

ERC is right. You should have probably left it at half & it would have been fine.

I have an '08 & never had the problems you seem to be having even BEFORE I got rid of "the can". I have zero problems since getting rid of the can.

With all the bikes you own & the experience you seem to have you shouldnt be having the trouble you're having just checking the oil & getting the oil level right. Run the engine a minute, let it sit a minute & check the dipstick. Anywhere around half or a hair above is fine. If you fill it to raise the oil to the tippy top of the scale it will probably blow it out "the can" again.

My advice is read all the threads about redoing the crankcase vent lines & getting rid of "the can" & get rid of the can. The can is the worst thing RE ever put on an engine except for maybe putting an oil sight glass on the UCE instead of leaving a damn dipstick in it.

Yes Sir,I have same engine. Fill half on the dip stick.I have removed the "catch can "and re routed the crank case hoses.It has been written on this forum on some ways to do it.Use the " search" icon to find articles on this ,...or some of us can help find it if you need them.

I have an old iron barrel twin and I know if I have the oil anywhere close to the half way mark I'm spitting oil everywhere out of the crank breather. What I did was fill the oil to about the half way mark and went for 70 miles or so and parked the bike and waited for 5 minutes, pulled the dip stick and scratched a mark where the oil was. I've been keeping it between there and the low mark and haven't had much of a blow by problem since.

+1, my 03' Iron Barrel is only happy below 1/2 and the low mark, never higher. I have got into the habit of checking after a ride with an engine off time of at least 5min. If the dipstick cap is too hot then it is not ready to check. I have the stock breather and the catch tank and rarely have to drain it.My 2cents worth.

AVL's use the A.L.S. (automatic leveling system). Fill it up, blow it out. What's left is the right amount. The first time I [over]filled my AVL, it looked like the back half of my Bullet was dipped in an oil drum.

I was overfilling it, mostly because it takes so long to drain all of the oil in an oil change. It remains trapped in places like the tappet chest. Then, when you add what you think is the right amount of oil, the excess sloshes out of the tank (mostly when aimed down a steep hill or when stopping), into the crankcase, and gets sucked up into the combustion chamber.

I also found that one factor for this was that all of the rings - all of them - had been installed at the factory with all of the gaps exactly in line. With the piston in my hand I could see the blowby mark below the gap(s), and the burned varnish mark above the gap(s). Realigning the gaps properly cut down on the smoke dramatically, even before finding out about the too much oil thing.

Look up KB8ANY on this forum and read about the 1/4" dowel oil-measurement trick.

Miracles do happen: Consensus on this forum!Anything over half full just blows or burns or disappears into the ether. Don't think badly of RE for it, my last two Mercedes came with a warning not to fill past half on the dipstick too! Uh, Daimler, after 20+ years why can't you just mark the dipsticks correctly?

I have a 2008 AVL and had a similar blow out problem. What I was told was that the crank allows your oil from the tank to flow down into the crankcase when the piston is in the down position. Thus the reading in the tank will be faulty. When checking my oil, I keep a glove ready to unscrew the stick right after I turn off the engine before any oil can drain down into the crank case. I have been told to park the bike with the piston at top dead center, but so far have found no practical way to do this. The electronic ignition of this bike really does not give an accurate reading of tdc on the volt meter that I can discern. Over filling the tank, when oil is in the crankcase (when it seems low) is how you overfill it, then you get blow out and a bad burn on your pipe. I have looked at a lot of member pictures and nearly all have that burn on the pipe. Many riders reroute the blow out tube either to the chain or route it under the fender and out the back. I have mine disassembled right now trying to overcome a lot of really bad engineering, but some of it one must just find a way to live with it. This bike, unfortunately, has to be worked on a lot, and for people with arthritis it is a serious PAIN. It's a fun bike to ride and I get many compliments, however.

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This bike was stored for 3.5 years. It had fallen on its side for awhile. I claimed it about a year and a half ago. Thus the low miles and inexperienced owner.2008 Bullet Electra Classic 500Classic Frame and AVL motorElectric StartElectronic Ignition5 speedCV Carb

I get a kick out of how many of you guys RELY on your amp gauge to tell you when it's at TDC. After you do it a few times, you should just be able to get a feel for it and just know where it's at in the stroke from how much compression is built up. I don't have an amp gauge and I never have trouble getting it at TDC. Slowly turn the kicker until it gets tight, and give it a little more.

I get a kick out of how many of you guys RELY on your amp gauge to tell you when it's at TDC. After you do it a few times, you should just be able to get a feel for it and just know where it's at in the stroke from how much compression is built up. I don't have an amp gauge and I never have trouble getting it at TDC. Slowly turn the kicker until it gets tight, and give it a little more.

This bike was stored for 3.5 years. It had fallen on its side for awhile. I claimed it about a year and a half ago. Thus the low miles and inexperienced owner.2008 Bullet Electra Classic 500Classic Frame and AVL motorElectric StartElectronic Ignition5 speedCV Carb

Using very light, slow pressure, press the kick start lever with your foot. When the piston is traveling "up to" or "down past" TDC there will be little resistance on the kick start lever and will move freely. Continue to lightly and slowly move the kick start lever until it requires force to move it any further, you are now JUST BEFORE TDC. Give a quick 1/4 kick, NOT A FULL KICK OF THE LEVER, call it a "nudge" and it should put the piston right where you need it.